Automatic weighing-machine.



No. 801,706. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905. O. F. BEAKBANE & W. E. HIPKINS.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1904- 4 $HEBTS-SHEBT 1.

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PATENTED OUT. 10, 190.5. 0. IE. BEAKBANE 5; W. E. HIPKINSQ AUTOMATICWBIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

il c'lrzewa 'Nbi"801,7-06. PATENTED 0GT.10,1905. 0. F. BEAKBANE & W. E.HIPKINS.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

042467;. jmf I No. 801,706. PATENTED OUT. 10, 1905. G. F. BEAKBANE 0; W.E. HIPKINS.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUN 20 1 4 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

a I I I I J 672222.52 m M5 2% m 620W;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FRANKLAND BEAKBANE AND WILLIAM EDIVARD HIPKINS, OF BIRMINGHAM,ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHlNG-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed June 16, 1904-.- Serial No. 212,859.

To (oi/Z whmn it vnay concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLns FRANKLAND BEAKBANE, engineer,of ElmdonRoad, Acocks Green, Birmingham, and WILLIAM EDWARD HIPKINS, of the firmof W. & T. Avery, Limited, Soho Foundry, Bi rmingham,in the county ofVarwick, England, manufacturers of weighing apparatus, both subjects ofKing Edward of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented a certain newImprovement in or Relating to Automatic eighing-Machines for VeighingGrain and the Like; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as would enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

To insure accurate weighments in automatic weighing-machines, it isimperative that the amount of grain or other flowing material held insuspension during the-dribble period should be constant and equal, sothat the amount of material in suspension when the final cut off isaccomplished shall in each weighment be exactly alike; To obviate theliability of insufficiency of a constant and equal supply during thedribble period is the object of our invention.

Our improvement consists of an arrangement of a supplementary orsubsidiary hopper for insuring a constant flow of material during thefinal feed or dribble, as it is technically known in connection withautomatic weighing-machines.

Our said invention will be more clearly understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, the same letters of reference indicating similarparts throughout.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of our invention, showing the machine at rest. Fig. 8 is aside elevation showing our machine when the full supply is beingdelivered into the weigh-hopper. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing ourinvention when the full supply has been reduced to a small stream ordribble. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are side elevations showing another form ofgate to be used in connection with the main and supplementary hoppers.Figs. 8 and 9 show the supplementary hopper detached in side and frontelevations, respectively.

To accomplish our purpose, we form a supplementary hop per,which wepreferably place inside the main supply-hopper above the machine. Thissupplementary hopper we form of any convenient shape and with slopingsides at a convenient angle and covered, preferably, with perforatedlattice-work, the pitch of the interstices so arranged that it willallow the material to flow freely through the interstices forming themesh, but will not allow any foreign substances such as string, wood,iron, stones, or thelike to pass through into the interior of thissupplementary hopper. The lower portion of the supplementary hopper isreduced in area and terminates in a hollow shaft or tube which continuesdown to the cut-off gate.

Assuming the machine is at rest, the supply of grain is allowed to fallupon the latticework top of the supplementary.hopper and will passthrough the interstices of the mesh and pour into the interior of thesupplementary hopper until it is filled. The supply of material stillflowing will then overflow into the main supply-hopper, and the maingate of the full flow being open the material will discharge into theweighing-hopper below. hen by the action of the machine the main gate isclosed and in closing pushes open the dribble-gate, the supply of grainin the supplementary hopper then comes into action, the outlet beingunsealed by the opening of the dribble-gate, and a constant supply isassured at an equalpressure for the completion of the weighment. Thissupplementary hopper can be placed in any convenient position with.relation to the main supply-hopper so that the overflow when thesupplementary hopper is filled shall flow into the main supply-hopper,and so through the main gate into the weighing-hopper. The outlet of thesupplementary hopper is arranged in direct communication with thedribble-gate. The addition of this supplementary or subsidiary hopper isequally applicable to automatic grainweighing machines in which the maingate and the dribble-gate are actuated separately or to such machines inwhich the main flow and the dribble are controlled by a single gateprovided with a small opening, which small opening comes into positionby the cut-off of the main flow, so that the aperture is brought intoposition underneath the discharge-outlet of the supplementaryhopper, soas to obtain the supply of material necessary for the dribble directfrom the supplementary hopper, as

afore described.

A represents the supplementary hopper, having a mesh A fixed across thetop to prevent foreign substances such as string, wood, iron, or thelikefrom entering. At the base of the said hopper A is fixed a spout ortube B, which is carried inside the weighing-machine chute At the baseof the said spout B is fixed a brush B, which seals the joint betweenthe spout B and the main gate D of the weighing-machine. Fixed to theaforesaid chute C and pivoted at C is a small gate E, which is held inthe position shown in Fig. 2 by the projection-piece D, fixed to themain gate D.

The action of our said invention is as follows: IVhen the material isdelivered to the large storage-hopper C, the smaller hopper A becomesfirst filled and overflows. The machine commences to work under theweight of the material in the main hopper, as is usual, and the maingate moves upward, and so allows the material to fall through theaperture in the chute G to the weigh-hopper below. The opening of themain gate D allows the smaller gate E to fall until it cuts off thesupply from the spoutB of the supplementary hopper,

the gate E being held from further forward movement by the stop fixed onthe chute C". hen nearly the required amount of material has passedthrough the chute C the main gate D descends by the action of themachine in the usual manner, and in its descent the projection-piece D,fixed on the main gate D, strikes the smaller gate E, and thereby pushesit up, and so unseals the spout B of the supplementary hopper, thusinsuring a sufficient and even flow of screened material to complete theweighing. During this operation the gate E rests against theprojection-piece D in such a manner that the material can only besupplied through the spout B, which material then passes through anaperture of the same area as the spout B in the main gate D. V hen therequired amount has been obtained, the main gate D completes its descentby the action of the machine, carrying with it the smaller gate E untilthey assume the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby cutting off thedribble-supply from chute B.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the hopper A is of thesame description as in the arrangement aforesaid described in Figs. 2,S, and at, having the brush B for the same purpose as already described.In our modification the smaller gate E is obviated and the entirearrangement worked by the main gate D. An aperture F is cut in the saidgate D of the same area as the spout B and is arranged in such aposition that the material will only deliver though this said apertureat a time when a diminished flow is required for completing theweighment. Fig.

5 shows the arrangement when the entire supply is cut off, the apertureF having passed the spout B and the brush B. The plate F covers thissaid aperture F from the chute C of the main supply-hopper C. Fig. 6shows the arrangement when the full supply is being delivered throughthe chute C, the aperture F beingwell past the spout B, the supply fromwhich is cut off by the main gate D. Fig. 7 shows the supply beingdelivered only through the aperture F by the spout B at the time whenthe diminished flow or dribble is required.

The action of the modification of our said invention is as follows:\Vhen the machine commences to work, themain gate D is moved upward tothe position shown in Fig. 6, and so allows the materialto fall throughthe chute C the material being prevented from delivering through thespout B by the portion 1) of the gate D pressing against the brush B.When nearly the required amount has been obtained, the fiow isdiminished to a small dribble by the main gate D descending by theaction of the machine to the position shown in Fig. 7, and so cuttingelf the main supply through the chute C and the aperture F is broughtopposite the spout B, and so allows a diminished How of material topass. \Vhen the exact amount of material has been obtained, the gate Dcompletes its descent, as shown in Fig. 5, and cuts oli' the supplythrough the chute B.

What we claim is 1. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machinesfor grain and the like, a means of supply for the material, a dribblesupplyhopper in line therewith, a main supply-hopper adapted to receivethe overflow from the dribblesupplyhopper,independentdischargespouts forsaid hoppers, and means for jointly closing and severally opening thedischarge ends of said spouts.

2. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a means of supply for the material, a main supply-hopper adaptedto receive the overflow from a dribble supply-hopper, a dribblesupply-hopper within the main supply-hopper and in line with the meansof supply, independent discharge-spouts for said hoppers, and means forjointly closing and severally opening the discharge ends of said spouts.

3. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a means of supply for the material, a main supply-hopper adaptedto receive the overflow from a dribble supply-hopper, a dribblesupply-hopper located substantially centrally within the mainsupply-hopper and in line with the means of supply, and means forcontrolling the discharge from said hoppers.

4. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a means of supply for the material, a main supply-hopper adaptedto receive the overflow from a dribble supply-hopper, a dribblesupply-hop per located substantially centrally within the mainsupply-hopper and in line with the means of supply, an inclinedscreen-top for the dribble-hopper and means for controlling thedischarge from said hoppers.

5. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a means of supply for the material, a main supply-hopper adaptedto receive the overflow from a dribble supply-hopper, a dribblesupply-hopper located substantially centrally within the mainsupply-hopper and in line with the means of supply, a double inclinedscreen-top for the dribble-hopper, and means for controlling thedischarge from said hoppers.

6. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a main supply-hopper, a dribble supply-hopper, independentdischarge-spouts for said hoppers, and a single gate or valve adapted tomove across the discharge ends of both of said spouts to control thedischarge therefrom.

7. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-machines for grain and thelike, a main supply-hopper, adribble supply-hopper, independentdischarge-spouts for said hoppers, and a single gate or valve adapted toclose the discharge ends of both of said spouts jointly and to open eachof the same severally.

8. In a feeding device for automatic weighing-maehines for grain and thelike, a main supply-hopper, a dribble su pply-hopper, independentdischarge-spouts for said hoppers, and a single gate or valve adapted tomove across the discharge ends of both of said spouts and beyond themain discharge-spout, the said gate having an opening adapted toregister with the discharge end of the dribble-spout in timed relationto the closing of the main discharge-spout.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES FRANKLAND BEAKBANE. WlLL'L-llll EDWARD IIIPKINS.

IVitnesses:

HENRY GUY SILK, HENRY HERBERT OLIVER,

